


Bound Upon the Dreams

by petitefairy



Category: Produce 101 (TV), TEEN TEEN (Korea Band), UP10TION, X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Character Death, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, M/M, soulmate dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24749431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petitefairy/pseuds/petitefairy
Summary: In which people had four soulmate dreams before they got to meet their soulmate. Jinhyuk was all Wooseok dreamt about.
Relationships: Choi Byungchan & Kim Wooseok, Kim Wooseok & Kim Yohan, Kim Wooseok | Wooshin/Lee Jinhyuk, Lee Jinhyuk & Lee Jinwoo (TEEN TEEN)
Kudos: 24





	Bound Upon the Dreams

The first time Wooseok dreamt about his soulmate, he was fifteen.

Wooseok was standing in front of a room with its door closed. He didn’t know where he was but faintly, he could hear an upbeat song blasting inside the room. He tentatively touched the door, tracing its surface with his finger before knocking several times. As he waited for someone to open the door, he looked down to find a long march of ants around his feet. They were walking in line to enter the anthill and Wooseok honestly found it amusing.

He was about to crouch down and observe when the door swung open. There was a boy, probably around his age but a little bit taller, grinning at him. Wooseok stared momentarily at the other. His jet black hair was let down, almost covering his dark brown eyes. Wooseok watched how the other waved his baby blue sweater paw eagerly, urging Wooseok to enter the room with him. He was taught not to follow strangers, yet his heart told him that it was okay. This wouldn’t be a nightmare.

“Welcome,” the other chimed cheerfully as Wooseok closed the door behind him. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Wooseok was about to ask, yet he got distracted at how spacious the room was. Everything was colored white, except a grey couch and mattress in the middle of it. Not too far from the couch and mattress, there were various toys scattered around. Wooseok assumed that the boy was playing by himself until he came. Somehow, the upbeat song he heard earlier was replaced by a calmer one although he couldn’t trace where the sound came from since he didn’t see any device.

The other sat on the couch, patting the empty space next to him. His grin became wider when Wooseok cautiously sat there. His dark pupils bored into Wooseok’s eyes as if he was searching for something.

“Hi, Wooseok.”

It was peculiar, but Wooseok was hit by a strong sense of familiarity when the taller one called his name. The way his name rolled perfectly on the other’s tongue felt right on Wooseok’s ears. Actually, everything about this boy emitted familiarity since the first time their eyes met.

“I know you must be wondering about me.” The other still eyed him and Wooseok’s cheeks grew hotter. He must have looked really lost because the other started chuckling lightly at his expression. “Ask away.”

“Do I know you?”

“No, you don’t. But, you will.”

“When?” the other merely shrugged, so Wooseok quickly changed the question. “Where is this?”

“Your dream.”

Wooseok stared at him incredulously. “You can’t be serious. Are you saying that I am dreaming right now?”

“Try pinching your cheek.” Wooseok pinched himself. The other watched how Wooseok’s pupils dilated in confusion and fear as he felt nothing after he did what he was told. “Now, you believe me.”

“What kind of dream that tells the owner that he is dreaming?”

“The soulmate dream.”

“Huh?”

“The soulmate dream. We learned about that in school.” When Wooseok showed no sign of getting his point, the other leaned his face closer to Wooseok. “You skipped class, didn’t you?” he said, pouting.

“I didn’t!” Wooseok squeaked, pushing the other’s face away. “Don’t get too close! You aren’t even real!”

“Hey!” the other pointed his index finger at Wooseok. His lips pursed in annoyance. “I am as real as you! Didn’t you hear me? This is a soulmate dream. You meet your soulmate here. That meansㅡ”

“My soulmate will show up out of nowhere.”

“ㅡI am your soulmate.”

Both of them glared at each other, eyes shooting daggers to one another until the taller one puffed his cheeks and let out the air inside with a ‘psshh’ sound. Wooseok’s eyes twitched instantly and suddenly, they were laughing together.

“You need to go,” the taller told him after they stopped laughing. He just noticed that the song had long gone and there was silence engulfing them.

Wooseok felt a mysterious pang inside, but he quickly shook it off.

“I guess we will meet again?”

A smile was all he could get as an answer.

When Wooseok woke up, he felt content but, somehow, empty. He couldn’t remember the other’s face. It was weird because he still remembered about the room and the things inside. He also remembered the way his toys were all around the places in detail. Heck, Wooseok even remembered how the baby blue sweater still looked loose on the taller one despite his height and how his laughter sounded like.

Wooseok remembered everything about that dream. The only thing missing from his memory was the face. It was weird, but Wooseok missed his bright smile already. He didn’t want the memories to vanish, in case they wouldn’t bump into each other that fast.

He wrote everything down.

The second time Wooseok dreamt about his soulmate, he was eighteen.

He was standing in front of the same room. It had been three years since then and now, the dream started with the same scene he always repeated before he slept. Wooseok silently looked down. The ants weren’t there this time. It was also so eerily quiet. He knitted his eyebrow, a knot tightening inside his stomach.

 _Something isn’t right_.

He knocked on the door, frowning when he felt how cold the door was beneath his knuckle. There was no rustling sound or anything. It was really silent and Wooseok could already feel the anxiety growing from the tip of his fingers. Inhaling deeply, he moved his hand to the doorknob to twist and open the door, slightly shivering when the cold metal came in contact with his skin.

He unconsciously held his breath in anticipation as the door opened and he could see what was inside the room. Unlike three years ago, the room looked smaller from where Wooseok was standing. There was no mattress or toys scattered around. There was only the grey couch in the center of the room and someone sitting on it.

The first thing Wooseok noticed about him was the hair. Instead of jet black just like how Wooseok remembered, it was brunette now. He still let his fringe fell down although it was shorter than he had three years ago. Now, his fringe only reached his eyebrows. He wore a soft pink sweater this time minus the sweater paw. He was looking down, seemingly lost in his own thought. Worry was clearly visible on his face. He sighed before bringing his hand up to his face to rub it rather harshly.

He looked up and their eyes finally met.

Wooseok thought that the other would be running for him once they saw each other. It turned out that Wooseok was wrong. The brunette only sat there, staring with an unreadable expression, before a sad smile formed on his face.

Wooseok’s heart clenched painfully. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He tried again and still, his voice wouldn’t come out. Panicking, he lunged forward to enter the room, yet his legs couldn’t be moved. He tried to reach out with his hand, hoping that the other would understand that he couldn’t go there, only to find out that his hands were somehow chained. He was stuck.

His eyes widened in horror.

 _What? Why? What is happening?_ Coldness started spreading through his veins. Every breath he took felt like a torn on his throat. Fear began to creep under his skin. Wooseok let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes to calm himself. _It’s only a dream_ , he chanted repeatedly.

 _I am dreaming_.

Despite saying that, he still could taste the fear on the tip of his tongue when he opened his eyes. Nothing changed. He was still stuck and the brunette was still sitting on the couch, eyeing him intensely. The sad expression on the other’s face pulled a string on Wooseok’s heart.

_Sadness doesn’t suit you. Please, stop being sad._

Wooseok opened his mouth, still trying to voice out his thought when he suddenly felt a strong push on his chest. Strong enough to make him fall. He hissed as his body collided with the cold floor. From his peripheral vision, he could see the other stand abruptly and was about to run towards him, but then the door closed just like that. His breath got hitched as he saw how the distance suddenly grew.

Everything started spinning around after that.

“Chill. It probably doesn’t mean anything bad.”

Yohan didn’t even bother to spare a glance at him while biting the chocolate bar Wooseok gave to him as a bribe. Sighing loudly, he started massaging his forehead, feeling a great headache coming because of his brother’s antics. He didn’t ask for this.

“I woke up with cold sweat dripping on my forehead.”

“Yeah, so?”

“ _So,_ ” he took the younger’s chocolate, causing a yelp from Yohan. “can’t you be a good brother and listen to me? I am really confused. _Please_.”

After examining his brother’s expression, Yohan reluctantly sat back. He crossed his hands in front of his chest, pouting.

“Thank you,” Wooseok said blankly. He took a sharp intake of air before continuing, “It was really terrible, you know. Everything was cold. It felt really different from the first time. Both of us were there, but at the same time, we couldn’t meet each other. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even speak. I mean it was my soulmate dream. Is a soulmate dream supposed to be like _that_?”

He almost grimaced at how desperate he sounded, yet he couldn’t help it. He was _worried_. His brain kept repeating the scene over and over again. The coldness. The desperation he felt. The sadness on the other’s blurry face. Blurry. Unclear. Missing. A fog always seemed to cover the other’s face on his memory. It really drove him crazy, especially at a time like this.

“It was your second dream, wasn’t it?” his brother’s voice stopped his derailed train of thoughts.

“Yes.”

“Then, you still have two more dreams to find out.” When Wooseok threw him a confused gaze, Yohan only shrugged. “We are bound to have four soulmate dreams before we get to meet them, you know. They are different for every person, but you share the same dream with your soulmate. Even though the time may occur differently, every dream you get will also be experienced by your soulmate. I can’t tell you what’s a soulmate dream supposed to be because ours are different. Only you and your soulmate will know the meaning behind every dream you get.”

“Then, what should I do?”

“Wait for the rest and probably, you can purchase a book about this whole dream thing so you will stop taking my chocolate bar.”

“It was originally a _bribe_.”

The third time Wooseok dreamt about his soulmate, he was nineteen.

It was raining, yet he found himself standing in front of the same room with the same wooden door. Wooseok looked around, taking a mental note that he was really outside this time. There were trees, streets, and even people. There were some people standing next to him, waiting for the rain to stop. He wasn’t alone just like the past dreams and somehow, it relieved him.

Eventually, people left. Many of them took their umbrella out from their bag and some just ran without caring about the rain. Wooseok could only gaze at them helplessly. It was actually really alluring to follow them, but he hated getting his clothes drenched from the rain. In the end, he only stuck out his left hand to feel the water fell on him. It felt nice, actually. His eyes fluttered shut, humming to a random song he got on his mind.

It was calming at some point until Wooseok felt someone’s hand on his, intertwining their fingers and giving him a light squeeze.

“Hey, Kim Wooseok,” the other said as he opened his eyes. “Long time no see.”

Wooseok’s tongue lost its ability to form words for a moment so he just stared at the figure in front of him. The other was completely drenched from head to toe. He was taller than the last time Wooseok saw him on his dream. His gaze moved down to the other’s white shirt which had become kind of see-through. He watched closely how the water dropped and hit the other’s shoulder then seeped into his shirt. He felt the blood rushed to his cheeks as he noticed that.

“Enjoying the view?”

Realizing that he was being teased, Wooseok quickly averted his gaze and opted to lock his eyes on the other’s dark orbs. “You are going to get sick if you keep on standing there,” Wooseok mumbled.

“Then,” his body was pushed backward until his back hit the door. Wooseok shivered when his right hand accidentally touched the cold doorknob. They were standing really close to each other. Wooseok was sure if he tiptoed, he could already bump his nose on the other’s chin. “I’m good now, right?” the other whispered.

Wooseok could only nod.

“I miss you, Kim Wooseok. Do you miss me?”

“No.” _I lied. I miss you_. _It ended badly last time._ “Where have you been?”

The other didn’t answer right away, merely sighing. His eyebrow furrowed and the sparks on his eyes dimmed. Wooseok’s heart sank at the sight. He really didn’t know what came into him when he tiptoed, pulling the taller by the hem of his shirt to press their lips together.

Wooseok never kissed before, not even in his real life. The other’s lips felt soft against his, but he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know whether he should close his eyes or not. He didn’t know which angle he should take so their nose wouldn’t bump. He didn’t know if he was allowed to breathe or not. His mind just went blank.

The taller was no better. His eyes widened, totally shocked by Wooseok’s action. Both of his hands were awkwardly suspended in the air. He blinked thrice before realization hit him. He pushed Wooseok away gently, face completely red.

“W-what are you doing?!” he almost squeaked. “It was my first kiss!”

Wooseok abruptly covered his face with his hands, unable to see the other’s face because he was really embarrassed. His heart hammered against his rib cage, still riding the adrenaline from the brief kiss. “I don’t know,” his voice was muffled. “I don’t know what came into me.”

“I can’t hear you. The rain is loud.”

“I said I don’t know! It was my first too!”

“Then, why did you kiss me?”

“You looked sad. Besides, I can’t kiss my soulmate now?”

“It’s actually nice to hear you calling me ‘your soulmate’,” the other smirked, raising his right eyebrow. “but I like it better if you call me by my name.”

“What’s your name?”

The other stepped forward, cutting their distance. Then suddenly, he had his arms circling around Wooseok’s smaller frame. Wooseok froze as he tightened his embrace, seeking warmth.

“My name is Lee Jinhyuk. Please, remember me.”

“You think you are Hulk, huh?”

Wooseok ignored the scowl coming from his roommate as he put ice on his right hand. He was so angry at himself that he ended up punching the headboard of his bed, which was made of wood, and caused him a swollen hand.

“You are lucky that it doesn’t break.”

“Byungchan, stop nagging.”

“I will if you stop being so stupid.”

“I am not stupid.”

“Really, now?” Byungchan rolled his eyes in annoyance before glaring at his roommate. “Kindly remember that it isn’t only you in this world who struggle to remember their soulmate. We all do! Everyone remembers differently, you know? That’s just how it works. I can’t even recall my soulmate’s face, height, or anything. The only thing that stays on my memory is their name.”

“Then, how am I supposed to meet him? How if he lived far away?”

Byungchan’s gaze softened. He sat beside his roommate, rubbing his back in a soothing manner. “You will know when you see him. Just like how he will know that you are the Kim Wooseok in his dream when he sees you. Also, he won’t be that far, trust me.”

“It’s my third dream.”

“One more to go, then!” Byungchan said enthusiastically. “Don’t worry too much. You will recognize him even when he is standing in the middle of the crowd. Your soulmate will manage to find you and vice versa. Don’t underestimate the string of fate. You are tied even before you are born. There’s no escape from fate.”

“I really want to meet him.”

“I know, but good things take time, right? For now, be patient. In case you are afraid that you will forget how he looks like, you can always take your dream notebook with you. Sounds good, yeah?”

Wooseok nodded and Byungchan pulled him into a hug. He closed his eyes, praying really hard for the next dream to come faster. He silently pleaded the universe so he wouldn’t forget when the time came.

The fourth time Wooseok dreamt about his soulmate, he was twenty-two.

He was no longer standing outside the room this time. The room wasn’t colored all white just like it used to. Now, it was crème. The mattress was there and so was the couch, but they were no longer grey. Wooseok wasn’t really sure how to describe the color because it was somewhat between pink and peach. Rose, perhaps?

He could look into the color shade further later, but now, his heart soared with excitement. The change in this room made him feel things. It was no longer white and grey. It had colors.

_A change means a good thing, right?_

A knock on the door snapped him out of his trance. Having a gist about who the visitor could be, Wooseok made his way to the door. He was aware that he actually skipped, but he didn’t care. His eyes twitched from expectation, grinning from ear to ear.

As soon as the door was opened, he felt his heart leap out of happiness.

“Hi, Wooseok. It’s Jinhyuk,”

At first, Wooseok remained still, completely lost for words. Jinhyuk didn’t wear a sweater or shirt, but a suit. A white suit that framed his body flawlessly with a white shirt beneath and an indigo bow tie. His bangs were pushed backward, leaving his forehead fully visible. Wooseok’s heart stuttered and he had to remind himself to actually _breathe_ when Jinhyuk grinned down at him.

“You look good,” was all he managed to say.

“Thank you,” the taller one replied, right hand scratched the back of his ear, seemingly really flustered by Wooseok’s compliment. “You look perfect.”

Wooseok pointed at himself, letting out a quiet ‘huh’ in confusion before he looked down to stare at his attire. He was wearing a crème wedding suit with an indigo tie that matched Jinhyuk’s bow tie. He brought his hand to his chest, carefully touching the fabric, shivering when he felt its softness on his palm.

“Are you ready now?”

The taller one shyly extended his hand, waiting for Wooseok to take it. For a while, Wooseok only stared at the other’s hand before looking up to meet his eyes. Nervousness swam in Jinhyuk’s dark orbs and Wooseok disliked it. There was this uneasy feeling he got every time the other showed a discomforting look. Then, Wooseok found it. Beside nervousness, Jinhyuk’s eyes gleamed with hope, reassurance, trust, and _adoration_. Just by staring at them reminded Wooseok that, yes, it was his soulmate dream and the man before him was his soulmate.

As he put his hand on top of Jinhyuk’s and the other pulled him closer, Wooseok felt really full. There was something blooming inside of him, causing all of his worries to vanish just like that.

“You found me,” he mumbled breathlessly.

Jinhyuk’s hands were warm against his cheeks. “We found each other. Let me make up for the past you had to go through alone. Let me love you this time.”

“Please, do.”

He watched how Jinhyuk’s eyes fell on his lips and Wooseok smiled. He tiptoed to give the taller a peck, chuckling lightly at the other’s dumbfounded expression. Jinhyuk took the challenge, pulling Wooseok even closer. Jinhyuk’s finger found its way to his face, drawing an invisible line from his eyes down to his nose and stopped on his lips.

“Can I?” the other whispered as if he was afraid that Wooseok would push him away if he talked any louder.

Wooseok nodded. The other beamed before leaning down to kiss him. As he felt the other’s lips on his own, Wooseok’s eyes automatically closed. Jinhyuk’s lips were soft and when the other’s tongue grazed his lower lip, Wooseok couldn’t fight a smile. He didn’t know that a simple kiss could give him a serenity he had longed to feel.

Their kiss tasted like a reassurance. A bind of trust.

“Don’t leave,” Wooseok begged as soon as they parted. “I want to be with you.”

Jinhyuk didn’t answer immediately and Wooseok felt anxiety growing in him. The familiar feeling came back. He feared that it would be like the other three and really, he didn’t think he could get back easily from the slump after tasting happiness like this. He didn’t want to experience emptiness after he woke up.

“I won’t leave.”

Wooseok blinked. “Really?”

“I will love you right this time. Let’s get married, Kim Wooseok.”

He woke up with a smile that day.

Although he still couldn’t remember his soulmate’s face and name, Wooseok didn’t feel as restless as he did. Somehow the last dream had given him the reassurance he needed. He was certain that they would meet soon and Wooseok really was anticipating for the day to come.

He couldn’t wait to meet his soulmate. There were so many things he wanted to say. So many things he wanted to share and just by thinking of it, Wooseok’s smile grew wide. He almost jumped from his bed, trotting toward his bag to pull out his notebook. With a light heart, he wrote down his dream. He even drew a tiny heart at the corner of the page, grimacing but still giggling as he reread the whole entry.

_I will love you right, too. So, let’s meet._

Byungchan said, when someone finally found their soulmate, there would be this electricity running through their body. Everything would stop for a while and all they could see was this one person. That was when they knew that they had met the one they had always dreamt of. His roommate told him to pay more attention to his surroundings.

 _“Soulmates are never apart for long, especially after the fourth dream. You are made of_ _each other,”_ Byungchan once told him over the phone.

Wooseok started to pay more attention to his surroundings, but no one gave him the electricity just like what Byungchan had told him. Days turned weeks. Weeks turned months. Months turned years. Suddenly, four years had passed since his fourth dream. Yet, there was no sign of his soulmate and Wooseok honestly had gone hopeless.

“Excuse me, can I sit here?”

The soft voice brought him back to reality. The owner of the voice, probably a lot younger than him, smiling nervously at Wooseok. He seemed like a lost puppy looking around to find another empty seat when Wooseok didn’t immediately answer him.

“Sure.”

“Thank you!” he exclaimed excitedly. “It’s my first time attending a book sign,” the other said as he sat down. “I’m so nervous.”

Wooseok stared as he was struggling with his bag, rummaging with his tongue trapped between his teeth. His eyes grew rounder as he couldn’t find the thing he was looking for, but then he released the breath he held as he pulled out the novel and a notebook. It was amusing to watch.

After he got what he needed, the stranger turned his head to Wooseok. He pursed his lips, eyes shining with curiosity. “Will she ask us question about the book before she signs it?” he tilted his head, staring innocently at Wooseok. His gaze then moved down to Wooseok’s chest. “Oh, you’re a journalist! You are here to interview the author, then? “

Wooseok looked down, following the other’s gaze which landed on his press card. He didn’t realize he still wore that so he quickly pulled it off and put it on his bag. “Ah, yes. We interviewed her earlier at the press conference. Now, I’m just here to get my sign, I guess.” The other nodded. “And oh, no. She won’t be asking any question.”

“I’m glad then.” He sighed, looking at the novel. “I don’t know much about this book, you know. I’m not really interested in soulmate thing anyway. I mean, what is so exciting about having a dream about your soulmate?”

Wooseok only quirked his eyebrow. “Have you experienced a soulmate dream?”

“I haven’t and I will turn eighteen this year. I’m not sure why I haven’t got one when my friends mostly already get their second or third by now, but it doesn’t really bother me.” He stared at the notebook in his hand, a sad smile playing on his face. “Besides, they said, we have four lifetimes. It doesn’t have to be this time, right?” Wooseok’s heart clenched hard at these words. “That’s why we have four dreams. One for each lifetime.”

“I guess you are right.”

“Well, those were my brother’s words. Oh, right! I am Lee Jinwoo. Who are you, Ahjussi? I didn’t get a chance to see your name earlier.”

Wooseok stared at Jinwoo’s extended hand. “I’m not an ahjussi, I’m only twenty-six,” he took Jinwoo’s hand. “I’m Kim Wooseok. Nice to meet you.”

As soon as the name escaped his lips, the notebook in Jinwoo’s hand fell, followed by the boy’s loud gasp. Wooseok quickly picked the notebook and a photo slipped out from it. When his hand came in contact with the photo, he felt electricity running through his body and the world seemed to stop spinning for a while. Suddenly, Wooseok’s heart palpitated and he couldn’t properly breathe.

Byungchan was right. He would be able to recognize his soulmate anywhere because right now, Wooseok was able to recognize him through a picture. For the first time in years, Wooseok finally remembered the face of his soulmate. He finally was able to breathe.

“My brother’s name is Lee Jinhyuk.” Jinwoo’s voice sounded so far and small. “He was the owner of the notebook you are holding right now. Your name is there, written all over because all he could remember was your name.”

Wooseok still couldn’t move his gaze from the photo. Jinhyuk looked exactly the same as his dream version. He looked happy there with his soft pink sweater, fingers forming a ‘peace’ sign with his brunette bangs almost covering his eyes. Wooseok felt like bursting with emotions, eyes gleaming with tears and honestly, he wanted nothing but to go to Jinhyuk right now. He needed to embrace and feel the other’s existence.

“Can you give me his contact?” Wooseok was surprised that he sounded decent enough when he asked. He expectantly glanced at Jinwoo who was staring back at him with an unreadable expression. “I need to meet him.”

The younger only looked at him as if he was searching for something in Wooseok’s eyes. After a moment that felt like forever, he nodded.

“Okay.”

Wooseok didn’t know what to expect when Jinwoo gave him an address, not a phone number.

As the younger handed him the notebook and the photo, Jinwoo told him that it was better for him to directly meet Jinhyuk. Jinwoo said his brother wouldn’t mind if he didn’t contact him beforehand. Wooseok frowned, but still nodded, even though he didn’t understand why the younger refused to give Jinhyuk’s contact. His confusion deepened when Jinwoo told him to look for a specific cherry tree with a blue ribbon on one of its branches.

Wooseok knew the address somehow felt familiar like he had known it somewhere. He ignored the nagging feeling on the back of his head as he entered the place. The cold wind hit his face harshly and the trees welcomed him gloomily. He pushed back the dread to the deepest corner of his heart as he saw the nameplates hanging on the trees. It was no use, though. The bad thoughts had begun to devour him from inside.

He finally spotted the cherry tree with a blue ribbon tied on one of its branches. The closer he got toward the tree, the more he understood why the younger acted that way.

Wooseok’s blood ran cold as he read the name carved on the nameplate. He tightened his grip on Jinhyuk’s notebook, bringing his left hand to caress the nameplate.

_(Here lies Lee Jinhyuk, a loving son and brother of ours.)_

It felt surreal. Wooseok didn’t even know what to do. He was too shocked. His mind just went blank. He couldn’t believe any of this. He really didn’t know what to feel. He had a lot to ask to the universe, but even his brain couldn’t comprehend this kind of reality.

It slowly dawned upon him that Jinhyuk was gone. His soulmate was gone. He was no longer here. Wooseok was too late. He was too late. He was too late to find him. They wouldn’t be able to meet because of him. He was really late.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, voice cracking. His vision slowly blurred by tears and the next thing he knew, he was already crying. He was clutching the notebook close to his chest as if his life was depended on it. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Jinhyuk. I’m sorry. I really am.”

It was suffocating. He couldn’t help but to blame himself for being late. They could’ve met only if Wooseok wasn’t too slow. He didn’t understand. They were soulmates. Jinhyuk was his soulmate and he was Jinhyuk’s. Weren’t soulmates supposed to be together? Weren’t soulmates supposed to spend their life together?

“I’ve been waiting for this day to come.” He choked on his own tears. He didn’t lie, though, he was really anticipating to meet Jinhyuk. He had promised himself that if they met, he would give him the warmest hug ever. But, he wouldn’t be able to do it now. “Why? Why, Jinhyuk? Why?”

 _I only want to be happy with you_.

The lump in his throat started blocking the air and it was really suffocating. Coldness started engulfing him, crawling through his arteries and veins. He didn’t want this. He never asked for this. Why was this happening to him? What did he do so wrong to deserve this? Why did this whole soulmate thing exist if someone had to lose theirs? Why did the universe make them so attached to their soulmate if they couldn’t be together?

Wooseok really didn’t understand. He only wanted to be able to meet his soulmate. He only wanted to be able to touch his soulmate. He only wanted to be able to love Jinhyuk. He only wanted to be with Jinhyuk. He only wanted Jinhyuk.

Jinhyuk.

Lee Jinhyuk.

He didn’t even understand why he was this deep for Jinhyuk. All he knew that every time he wanted to forget about Jinhyuk by trying to break the soulmate bound, he was back to square one. He could date anyone, yet at the end of the day, Jinhyuk was all he could think about. It was useless. The universe was too cruel.

He didn’t know. Wooseok didn’t know. He still couldn’t take this. It was still hard for him to accept the reality. He didn’t know what he should do after this. His life wouldn’t be the same after this. It was different. Yesterday, he was still hoping to be able to meet Jinhyuk. He still had hope.

But, after this day?

“Jinhyuk,” his voice sounded far away and foreign, even for him. “what am I going to do now? What should I do to cease this empty feeling? How am I supposed to continue living?” he asked to no one. “My life will be different after this.”

Jinwoo’s words suddenly rang as he thought about life. Four lifetimes, they said. People have four lifetimes.

If they couldn’t be together in this lifetime, would they be in another lifetime? Would they find each other right in time? They would, right? Because Byungchan said, they were bound to each other. It was written on fate and no one could escape fate, right?

Wooseok didn’t know. He honestly was afraid to find out the answer. He sincerely prayed for both of them to be reborn as soulmates all over again. After all, each of their soulmate dreams represented each of their lifetimes. So, they would be reborn and bound to be with each other all over again, right?

He really didn’t know. His brain was too clouded and tired from all the crying. For now, all he could do was begging to the universe, pleading for him and Jinhyuk to end up together with a happy ending.

Somehow, somewhere, sometime.

**Author's Note:**

> Henlo, lovely human!
> 
> Thank you for reading "Bound Upon the Dreams". This was originally an entry for a charity project for COVID-19 from Kalopsia: The Lockdown. Now that the project has ended, I decided to post it here.
> 
> So, how do you think? Please leave a feedback or you can be my friend on [twitter](https://twitter.com/kkbumjjong?s=09) or scream at me on my [curiouscat.](https://curiouscat.me/urpetitefairy) Okay, have a safe journey, all! Stay happy and healthy.
> 
> love,  
> your petitefairy.


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